Sunda Mizu Dojo
The Clear Water Academy taught the Hida Berserker, Hida Bushi, Way of the Samurai, pp. 15-16 and Hida Pragmatist schools. Strongholds of the Empire, p. 36 Oldest Crab Dojo Sunda Mizu Dojo was the oldest dojo of the Crab Clan. Some said that the Kaiu Kabe itself was the largest dojo of the Crab, but no Crab samurai were allowed to face the Shadowlands without proper training first. For most bushi that was here. Sunda Mizu Mura was one of Rokugan's oldest villages, and had housed the dojo for centuries. The dojo's grey stone architecture dominated all the other structures in the village, and was designed by Kaiu himself. During the War of Spirits the village was attacked by spirits and the villagers retreated into the dojo. Alongside the villagers, the students successfully defended the structure. Some said it was the structure itself that kept them safe. Others said that the general, Hida Tsuneo, who led the assault and who was once a student here led an ineffective assault. Traditions It was said that Hida himself was the first sensei of the dojo, although that was not entirely true. What he did do however, was institute the tradition of carving the names of the students into the stone walls, and declared that no names would be allowed to be removed or come to ruin. Names such as Hida Tadaka, Hida Tsuneo and Hida Osano-Wo could all be found here. Even students at the dojo from other clans were allowed to carve their names. When a student arrived, he was given a hammer and a chisel, and told to find a place to carve his name. He was not allowed to deface an existing name, and if he was really lucky he would find a clear space next to a great hero. He must, however, be careful not to bring dishonor by association to that hero. Over the years the dojo had been expanded several times to make room for more names. It was commonly said by the sensei that "You may forget your training, but Sunda Mizu Dojo never forgets you". Way of the Samurai, p. 16 When the dojo was nearly ran out of room to carve more names, the governor of the city at that time, Yasuki Kanaka, declared that all lands within the original village walls would henceforth be the property of the dojo. Punishment The punishment for bringing shame to your name would be carried out in public in front of the carving of their name. Because no names could be defaced, other measures must be taken to cover them up. Wall hangings, carpets, and chamber pots were most commonly used. One of the best examples of this, and of Crab humour in general, was the case of Hida Hideaki. Hideaki willingly joined the armies of Fu Leng during the Clan War, and the sensei of the dojo responed by hanging a painting of a geisha resting on a pillow covering his name. The covering and uncovering of names was left entirely up to the sensei, and no discussion was permitted. Yearly Champion Each year, it was held a contest to appoint a champion, warriors capable of battling the Shadowlands. To date, all champions had been of the Crab. Training The students of the dojo were trained in a variety of weapons, usually wooden replicas of those found on the wall. Most exercises were done in full armor, often filled with weights. Bad students were often asked to do heavy labour and even slept in their armor, making them accustomed to the armor and to build up their stamina. Gempukku For their gempukku the students went into the Shadowlands, and must return with the head of a creature which they brought to the dojo for approval from their sensei. If it was a powerful creature, the student was allowed to advance and the head was cleansed and put on display in the main entrance. Over the years this had ammounted to a terrifying collection. Any who had become tainted were immediately expelled and sent to the barracks of the Damned. Dojo Benefits Membership in the dojo was a great honor not only among the Crab, but the samurai community in general. The Hida took great pride in their dojo, and anyone who defamed its name would not be tolerated for long. A student was allowed to honor the dojo with a small splash of grey in the lower left corner of their sashimono or personal mon. Way of the Samurai, p. 17 Sensei Since few bushi could be spared to instruct the new recruits because of the constant war on the wall, the sensei was usually someone with a permanent injury. He must also always be a bushi. There was also always a senior Kuni shugenja at the dojo, teaching about the inhabitants of the shadowlands. As with the bushi, the shugenja would be too severly wounded to serve on the Kaiu Kabe. Notable Sensei * Hida Ikarukani * Hiruma Hotaro * Toritaka Tatsune Notable Students * Hida Hideaki * Hida Kuon * Hida O-Ushi * Hida Osano-Wo * Hida Reiha * Hida Sakamoto * Hida Tadaka * Hida Tsuneo * Hida Wukau * Hida Yakamo External Links * Sunda Mizu Dojo (Heaven and Earth) * Master of Clear Water Dojo (Evil Portents) Category:Crab Clan Dojo Category:Articles with Pictures Category:Sunda Mizu province